Protective wrist guard for sporting activities

ABSTRACT

A protective wrist guard for protecting the wrist portion of a wearer&#39;s body formed of a tubular sleeve having a lower opening and an upper opening; a pocket on the inside of the tubular sleeve, and a rigid, impact absorbing armor plate sized and shaped to be positioned in the pocket; the armor plate being contoured and shaped to fit the wrist configurations of the wearer.

The present invention is directed to protective garments and in particular to a wrist guard used to protect participants while playing sporting activities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of protective pads and plastic shields for various sports is well known. For example, hockey and football players use a great deal of protective equipment to prevent injury from impacts during a game. Other sports such as soccer and shooting also use protective guards and padding. In the game of baseball, protective shields are well known. The catcher position uses shields including a mask, chest protector and shin guards. Batting shields for arms and legs are well known. A number of baseball players, particularly small children, have experienced fatal heart injuries from a batted or thrown ball, or bat, impacting against the chest or back of the player. Various protective shields protect against this type of injury.

Other attempts are known in the prior art that provide protection to a wearer from impact to a particular body part when engaging in various sporting activities.

The following patents are some specific examples of prior art of interest.

U.S. Pat. design No. D259,220 shows a wrist guard with a pocket.

Other non-protective wrist guard patents of interest having pockets are U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,116 to Sanzone et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,513 to McKay, U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,067 to Brady, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,137 to Fakhrai.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,899,738, 5,456,658 and 5,480,376 to Parker are directed to armor material, and the method of forming the same, used with the protective garment of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to sports body armor device that represents an improvement of the known prior art. The device is an improved wrist guard formed of a wrist band having a pocket in combination with a pre-molded armor plate that conforms to the wearer's wrist held in place by the pocket configuration.

The wrist band is formed with a pocket on the inner surface thereof. Typically the pocket is sewn in place during the manufacture of the wrist band and is sized and shaped to accommodate the size and shape of an armor plate designed to be mounted therein. In a preferred embodiment, the pocket and the corresponding armor plate mounted therein is located on the upper portion of the wrist that is exposed when the arm is in a normal relaxed position. The wrist band is tubular with the end nearest the hand being formed with a slightly smaller diameter than the opposite end located further up the forearm. This creates a slight conical shape with a taper toward the end adjacent the hand. The pocket is geometrical in shape when lying flat to accommodate the armor plate. After curing, the armor plate conforms to the wrist of the user. Preferably the armor plate and corresponding pocket is slightly smaller closest to the user's hand than the opposite edge that extends onto the forearm of the user. The lower edge of the pocket is sealed to maintain the armor in place as the arm is used in a chosen physical activity. The wrist band is elasticized so it conforms to the wrist of the user. Preferably the pocket is larger than the armor plate in order for the elasticized upper edge of the pocket act as an elastic band to hold the armor plate in place.

It will be appreciated that the size of the armor plate may be varied depending upon the protection required. For example the armor may extend most of the way around the wrist, the only limitation being the ability to place the rigid armor plate device into the pocket and around the wrist with the wrist band in place.

The protective armor wrist band is typically sold along with the pre-cured armor plate before the armor is form fitted to the wearer. The wearer puts the wrist guard on the wrist to be protected and opens the sealed, air-tight armor package. At this time the armor plate is uncured and therefore is flexible. Exposure to air causes the resin impregnated fiberglass material that forms the armor to harden. Before hardening begins, the armor plate is placed in the pocket on the wrist guard and is preferably held in position by a wrap material or the like. The stretchable fabric of the wrist band also presses the uncured armor against the wearer's wrist to ensure an exact form fit when the armor plate hardens. The Parker patents, referenced hereinabove, describe details of a forming and hardening process for similar body armor plate.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a body armor plate specifically shaped to protect a designated body part.

Another object is the provision of a protective wrist guard having a shaped pocket to accommodate a correspondingly shaped armor plate to protect the wearer's wrist.

These and other objects will be more fully appreciated with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a first embodiment of a protective wrist guard of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a first end view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a view of the opposite end thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view of an armor plate of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a wrist guard type protective garment 10 of the present invention. The wrist guard 10 includes a form fitting, flexible, tubular, elasticized sleeve 12 designed to cover a wearer's wrist while engaging is a physical activity such as a racket sport or the like. Typically the wrist guard material is capable of absorbing moisture build-up in the wrist area preventing the moisture from dripping onto the wearer's hand. The tubular sleeve 12 is formed having a slightly conical shape with an opening 14 adjacent the wearer's hand and a second opening 16 at the wearer's forearm. Since the wrist is normally smaller that the forearm, the opening 14 adjacent the wearer's hand is slightly smaller than the forearm opening 16. The wrist guard 10 is specifically designed to protect the outer or upper wrist area of the wearer against the impact force of a projectile or other traumatic force. The wrist guard 10 is made of stretchable, elasticized material and snugly conforms to the shape of the wearer's wrist and lower forearm. It will be appreciated that various sizes of wrist guards are used to accommodate different size wearers.

The wrist guard 10 includes a pocket 18 on the inside surface of the tubular sleeve 12 to accommodate an armor plate 20 a mounted therein. Typically the pocket 18 is sewn in place during the manufacture of the wrist guard 10 so that the opening 22 of the pocket 18 faces the forearm with the sides and opposite end adjacent the hand being sewn. The pocket 18 is sized and shaped to accommodate the size and shape of the armor plate 20 to be mounted therein. The edge of the opening 16 extends beyond the edge of the armor plate 20 in order that this section act as an elastic band 24 to maintain the armor plate 20 in place during use. In a preferred embodiment, the pocket 18 and the corresponding armor plate 20 are located on the outer or upper portion of the wrist that faces outwardly and is exposed when the arm is in a normal relaxed position.

The configuration of the pocket 18 is generally rectangular or trapezoidal in shape, when lying flat, to accommodate the shape of the armor plate 20. After curing, the armor plate 20 conforms to the wrist of the user. The armor plate 20 is also shaped and sized to snugly fit into the pocket 18 through the pocket opening 22 at the upper end of the tubular sleeve 12 located away from the wearer's hand. The shape of the armor plate 20 is particularly efficient covering the wrist while not being obtrusive to the wearer when performing athletic movements such as hitting, batting or throwing a ball.

The protective armor wrist guard 10 is typically sold with the uncured armor plate 20 in a separate package. The wearer puts the wrist guard 10 on the wrist to be protected and opens the sealed, air-tight armor package. At this time the armor plate 20 is uncured and is flexible. Exposure to air causes the resin impregnated, fiberglass material that will form the armor plate 20 when cured to harden. Before hardening begins, the armor plate 20 is placed into the pocket 18 and preferably is held in position by a wrap material or the like. The stretchable tubular sleeve 12 of the wrist guard 10 also presses the uncured armor plate 20 against the wearer's wrist contours to ensure an exact form fit when the armor plate 20 hardens. Reference can be made to the Parker patents for details of the forming and hardening process of similar armor plate material.

It will be appreciated that the overall size of the pocket and armor plate may be adjusted to fit particular individual wearers. Other changes and modifications may be made in keeping within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. A protective wrist guard for protecting the wrist portion of a wearer's body comprising: a tubular sleeve having a lower opening and an upper opening; a pocket formed in said tubular sleeve, and: a rigid, impact absorbing armor plate sized and shaped to be mounted in said pocket; said armor plate being preformed and contoured and shaped to fit the wrist configurations of the wearer.
 2. The protective device of claim 1 wherein said tubular sleeve is larger adjacent said upper opening adjacent a wearer's forearm and is progressively smaller toward said lower opening adjacent a wearer's wrist.
 3. The protective device of claim 1 wherein said pocket is formed on the inner surface of said wrist guard.
 4. The protective device of claim 1 wherein said upper opening extends beyond a corresponding upper edge of said armor plate forming an elastic band to maintain said armor plate in position in said pocket.
 5. The protective device of claim 1 wherein said wrist guard is formed of stretchable, elasticized material to conform to the wrist contours of the wearer.
 6. The combination of a protective wrist guard for protecting the wrist portion of a wearer's body formed as a tubular sleeve with a lower opening and an upper opening; a pocket formed in said tubular sleeve, and; a rigid, impact absorbing armor plate sized and shaped to be mounted in said pocket; said armor plate being preformed and contoured and shaped to fit the wrist configurations of the wearer. 